The individuals that are holding illegal firearms and living in the areas highly prone to insecurity around Mukogodo Forest in Laikipia County are urged to surrender them immediately to the police.
Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha said the forest has been the bandits’ favorite stealth in the past few weeks. After harassing the victims of the neighboring areas, they disappear into the forest. He has said that the government is doing more than just its part by increasing surveillance and enforcement to deal with insecurity after them.
Besides the ongoing operations, Kyatha informed the public about the authority’s decision to bring a few more Anti-Stock Theft officers to the region. They will help the local police to fight livestock theft and other crimes. “What is going on in Mukogodo and neighboring locations will no longer be allowed.” He went on to say that, “if there still is anybody illegally armed, for God’s sake give it up to the police.”
The commissioner argued that the amnesty and crackdown will be a sort of ‘ripple effect’ which will also hit other neighboring counties such as Isiolo and Meru that are at the mercy of the cross-border criminal networks.
Kyatha was speaking at a meeting convened by the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) that brought together top security officials, local administrators, and conservancy leaders from Laikipia, Isiolo, and Meru.
The meeting was a forum for law enforcement and community conservancies to discuss how they could work together more closely to maintain peace and security in the region.
